Domain Parking with IONOS

Earn money by forwarding your unused domains to IONOS or sell them easily with Sedo.

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Step-by-step explanation

1. Access the IONOS Control Panel

The domain parking service is part of the IONOS Referral Program, which allows you to automatically earn commissions from promoting IONOS products and services. In order to start the process, first log in to your IONOS Control Panel. From here, you can get to the domain parking options either by clicking “Manage Internet address” or by navigating to “Manage Domain” via the “Classic Contract Overview”. Both of these methods will take you to a dashboard listing all your registered domains.

2. Select the domains

In the dashboard overview, choose the domain you want to park by clicking “Adjust Destination” under the “ACTIONS” dropdown menu and then select “Earn money with your domain”. In this section, select “Park your domain with Sedo” and you will be offered the opportunity to also list your domain for sale. Click the checkbox if you wish to do this, or otherwise simply select “Park domain” to activate the domain parking service. Your parked domains will be listed in the domains dashboard.

3. Earn commission

Once your selected domains are successfully parked and registered for the Referral Program, they will automatically be forwarded to the IONOS Store. As soon as a visitor is redirected to IONOS and makes a purchase, you will earn a commission on that purchase. No effort is required – your domain parking revenue is automatically credited to your account.

4. Reactivate at any time

Should you wish to use your parked domain for something else, such as building a website, you can just easily reset the domain settings through the IONOS Control Panel. You have total control over when to monetize your domains.

Domain Parking Service at IONOS

Learn more about the advantages of domain parking at IONOS

Earn money
Referral Program
Marketplaces
Sell Domains

Earn money with domain parking at IONOS

Domain parking is just a simple way to earn money by forwarding all your unused domains to IONOS website. If you no longer want your domain, you don´t have to find a new buyer or to offer it on a marketplace. With the IONOS Referral Program, you are able to use your domain as an advertising platform for IONOS products.

The IONOS Referral Program

It's simple: check a box in your domain overview, and your domain(s) will automatically be associated with IONOS Referral Program.Your domain will be used exclusively for forwarding and will therefore be parked until you use it for something else. If you want to reactivate your domain for your own purposes, you can reverse this process at any time.

You are already IONOS customer? If you want more information about domain parking - Please go to "My Data" in your control panel. There you will find our "IONOS Referral Program".

Domain parking at marketplaces like sedo.com

You can also use domain parking to make money with IONOS partner, Sedo. Sedo is the world's largest domain marketplace, providing a platform for domain buyers and sellers to trade. In addition to their domain buying, selling, and transfer services, they also offer a domain parking service, which is completely free and can be canceled at any time.

The service works by displaying advertisements on your parked domain, which thematically correspond to the domain based on the associated keyword. Whenever a visitor to your domain parking page clicks on an advertising link, you generate revenue. You can quickly and easily park your IONOS domain name with Sedo by rerouting the Domain Name Server (DNS) in your IONOS Control Panel; a small change to the name server entry for your chosen domain is all it takes.

Sell Domains

Domain parking is also advantageous for another reason: it's a highly effective way to sell your unused domains. The rights to a domain name can be sold and transferred just like property. If you want to find a buyer for your parked domain, Sedo will integrate a "Buy this Domain!" banner; alternatively you can list your domain for auction or set a fixed price.

Sedo acts as a broker throughout the sales process: they hold the buyer's payment securely while both parties arrange the domain name transfer with their registrars. Once this is completed, the payment is released to the seller. This way, the process is safe and secure. Furthermore, the service assists you in assessing the market value of your domain, according to a set of key criteria, and you can request a domain rating.

Parking a domain

FAQ – Frequently asked questions about the topic

What should I consider if I want to set up a parking page?

If you want to use your domain as an advertisement platform, the setup process for domain parking is very simple. Only a few changes need to be implemented, for example in the DNS of a domain. It's very important to check your most important keywords while parking your domain – based on this keyword list the parking provider will automatically allocate matching advertisements. You should also use an attractive template to encourage users to stay on your domain. Of course, after setting up a parking page you should continually optimise it by analysing the stats provided by the provider and adjust your keyword list to generate a better click-through rate. You should think about what keywords you would expect users to type. It's also very important to read the news feed of your provider to keep up to date, e.g. with algorithm changes.

How do I park my domain on IONOS by 1&1

Domain parking is a simple process with IONOS by 1&1, allowing you to start earning money from your unused domains quickly and with minimal hassle. This process is facilitated through the IONOS by 1&1 Referral Program, which offers a variety of ways to automatically earn commissions, including domain name parking. If you are already a IONOS by 1&1 customer, log in to the IONOS by 1&1 Control Panel and click 'Manage domains' – here you will be presented with an overview of your registered domains. Simply select the domains you wish to park and they will then be automatically associated with the IONOS by 1&1 Referral Program. When a domain is parked, it will be used exclusively for forwarding to IONOS by 1&1 products; you earn a commission on every sale originating from your domain.

If for any reason you wish to use a domain for something else, such as building a website, you can easily reverse the process and reactivate it. To do so, return to the Domain Manager in your IONOS by 1&1 Control Panel and select the domain you want to reactivate.

What is domain parking revenue and how can I increase it?

Parked domains can be monetized by incorporating advertising on the landing page – the commission you earn from this advertising is known as domain parking revenue. When you park an unused domain with IONOS by 1&1, it effectively acts as an advertising platform for IONOS by 1&1 products. Your domain redirects to the IONOS by 1&1 website, and whenever a purchase is made, you receive a commission. Each purchase is tracked via a referral code attached to your domain, so you earn money automatically without having to lift a finger.

You can increase the revenue you earn from domain parking in a number of ways. Firstly, the more unused domains you register for the 1&1 Referral Program, the more people will be redirected to IONOS by 1&1 products, resulting in a higher potential for earning commissions. In addition, ensure your keywords are appropriate for your domain because they determine which products your visitors will be redirected to. When they are redirected to a product that interests them, users are more likely to buy, which helps to optimize your domain parking monetization.

What does it mean when a domain is parked?

A domain is 'parked' if there are no services associated with it, such as a website. When a user enters the URL into their browser, a placeholder webpage or domain parking page is displayed instead of a homepage. Typically this page will either feature a 'coming soon' or 'under construction' message, or advertisements – non-monetized and monetized domain parking respectively. For example, the 1&1 Referral Program monetizes the placeholder webpages of your unused domains by redirecting users to IONOS by 1&1 products.

The purpose of domain name parking is usually either to secure domain names for future development or to protect against any potential cybersquatting. Domain parking monetization is especially attractive because it allows you to achieve these aims, while simultaneously generating passive income.

How many domains can I associate with my account?

You can use as many of your domains as you like for the IONOS by 1&1 domain parking service. There are no limits, so you are free to monetize your unused domains no matter how large your portfolio. The process remains precisely the same – you can still manage everything from your IONOS by 1&1 Control Panel. Even if you have hundreds of domains, monetizing them through the Referral Program is as simple as clicking a checkbox – likewise for reactivating them. For this reason, domain parking with 1&1 is every bit as suitable for domain professionals as it is for those who simply don't want their unused domains to go to waste.

What will it cost to sell my domain?

Should you wish to sell your parked domain, this can be done through Sedo. In addition to domain name parking, creating an account and listing a domain for sale on Sedo's marketplace is completely free. With this account, you have full access to all Sedo's tools and services, including buying domains as well selling. When a buyer is found, the transfer of fees and the domain itself is also free of charge, but the sale will be subject to a commission fee – the minimum amount of this fee is based on the domain extension. It's also free to apply to sell your domain through Sedo's brokerage service, where a professional broker will manage the process on your behalf. Should your application be accepted and a sale completed, a 15% commission charge will be deducted. In addition to this, additional services are available that can aid you in the selling process, including domain appraisals and featured listings. The cost of these services may vary depending on the options you select.

Can I sell and transfer a domain with domain parking?

The rights to a domain name can be sold and transferred just like property. If you want to find a buyer for your parked domain, Sedo can include a 'Domain for Sale' page on your site or list your domain on a domain auction site. On the Sedo website you can find out how much your domain could be worth and request a domain rating. The transfer of a domain name is a potentially time-consuming process, so most domain transactions are managed through a third-party trust service. The provider holds the buyer's payment securely while both parties work with their registrar to transfer the parked domain name. Once the transfer is completed, the provider releases the payment to the seller. The trust service provided by Sedo is recommended because they provide a financial intermediary and assist you with the technical transfer of the parked domain name.

What defines the market value of a parked domain?

When putting a parked domain up for sale on the Sedo marketplace, it can be tricky to determine exactly how valuable it is to potential buyers in order to avoid selling below the market value. Fortunately, there are a few key indicators to help you more accurately assess the worth of your domains. Firstly, search engine friendliness is an important factor, as any potential buyer will want the assurance that there is sufficient potential to build a website on a domain name that will rank highly. Similarly, your domain will have a higher market value if it has strong branding and advertising potential. Typically this refers either to a catchy and memorable name, or one that clearly identifies with a particular niche or topic. If this branding potential is related to ecommerce it can strengthen the commerce potential, which in turn will increase the value of your domain. Last but not least, Sedo looks at comparable transactions – that is, the prices that similar domains have sold for – in order to further assess its market value.

What is cybersquatting in the context of domain parking?

Cybersquatting – also known as domain squatting or grabbing – is the act of registering domain names, particularly trademarked brands, with the intention of either selling them or using them maliciously. The term often refers to buying domain names that contain variations of existing business names in order to sell them back to the business for profit. One good reason to use a domain parking service is to protect your brand from cybersquatting. By purchasing domain names that are related to your brand, you can prevent cybersquatters from exploiting or tarnishing your company name, or extorting you.

Fortunately, when you buy a domain name from IONOS by 1&1 purely to protect your brand against cybersquatting, the money you used need not be wasted. With the IONOS by 1&1 Referral Program, you can monetize that domain, and begin generating domain parking revenue through commissions. This is a great way of turning protective measures against cybersquatting protection to your advantage.

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